The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-12-15
THU NEV CAPITOL
Official Report of the Inspect
ing Architects Adopted
Unanimously.
Construc ton According to Plans
and Notifications Au-
thorized by the
Board.
The Crack In the Arch of the Dome
Fully Explained as In
significant.

significant.
There was a meeting of the capitol
board yesterday morning to consider the
report of the capitol inspecting architects
Messrs. Harrod, Clayton aud Heiner.
Present: Governor Ross, and Messrs
Hall, Lubbock and Mccall, members OF
the board. Absent, General Hogg.
The architects also presented supple
mentary report in answer to communi-
cation submitted to them by the governor.
Both reports were read by Secretary
Dickinson, as given below:
The samples of stone which were re-
ferred to in the communication making
charges against the building had not
reached the expert architects when they
considered that communication. During
the board meeting they were brought up
from the governors Office. The expert
architects compared them with the
samples of stone on file in the office of
the capitol building commission, and of
which the capitol is built. Upon comparing
them, the experts were unanimously
of the opinion that the samples of which
the capitol has been built were superior
in every respect to those submitted with
the communication containing the charges.
In discussing the report, Treasurer Lub
book said: 81 am in favor of adopting
the report and standing by It,"
Governor Ross: II presume we all are.
1t will certainly give satisfaction to the
public, especially on account of its
unanimity." Turning to the architects,
who were all present, he added: "Gentle-
men, We not only officially, but personally
extend to you our thanks and best wishes
for your present happiness and future
prosperity"
The superintendent of construction and
the capitol commissioners were instructed
to make estimates as to the differences of
expense which will result from the changes
proposed by the inspecting architects,
and the secretary of the board was in
structed to draw the vouchers to pay the
architects for their work.
The board then adjourned.
Report eff the Architects.
AUSTIN, TEX, December 8, 1887.
Gov. L. 5. Rose, President State Capitol Board:
Strive have the honor to submit the
following report of the examination made
and conclusions reached by us under the
resolutions of your honorable board, of
date of December 1, 1887, as herein re-
cited:
"Resolved, That Messrs. Harrod, Clay
ton and Heiner, the expert architects Sc
lected by this board, are hereby requested
to make thorough examination of the
dome of the new capitOl,as at present con-
structed, together with the plans and
specifications for the construction of
same, and to report at the earliest prso-
ticable moment the result of their exam
nation, with such recommendations in
regard thereto as they deem should be
adopted in order to remove all doubt as
to the absolute safety and permanent
stability of the said dome, and, after they
have done this they shall then make an
examination of the entire structure and
submit their report thereon;
Resolved, Further, that Messrs. Lee and
McLaurin, capitol commissioners, and
Gen. r. l.. Walker, superintendent of con-
struction, are hereby instructed to render
the said architects every facility in their
power, giving them the use of the plans,
specifications and contracts, and other
data and information appertaining to
their Office, so as to enable the said archi-
tects to make an accurate and com plete
| report"
Under these instructions, we have di-
vided our work into two parts, the first of
which relates to the dome and its present
condition with recommendations for its
completion, and the second to general
examination of the building.
FIRsT-THE DOME.
In the original design, three of the
twenty panels of the dome wall were
pierced, by arched openings, connect.
| ing the rotunda with the main or south
ern vestibule, with two piers of irregular
section and insufficient construction be-
tween these openings. These arches were
continued up through the basement and
four stories, with an aggregate height of
So feet; above this was height of brick
work of ITO feet. This wall had width
at the base of feet inches, and at the
top of feet 4 inches. For height of
80 feet inches it was of dimension lime
stone, and the remaining LOG feet 10
inches of brickwork. The length of dome
wall carried ON the two piers before men
toned, each of Is square feet sectional
area, was "a feet, and the weight imposed
from q to 30 tons per square foot in the
different stories. This weight, owing to
their peculiar section and the material of
their construction, exceeded the limit of
safety in loading these columns.
| This defect was recognized at an early
period in the history of tho building by
the commissioners and the superinten-
dent, as is shown by their reports, bear
ing date as follows:
Superintendent to commissioners, Sep
TENDER 8, 1884.
Commissioners to superintendent, April
90, 1887.
Superintendent to commissioners, April
26, 1887.
Commissioners to governor, April 26,
1887, and others on record.
Accordingly, when the advanced con-
u